Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (right) meets his Azeri counterpart Elmar Mamedyarov in Baku.
Photo: Vasily Shaposhnikov
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Lavrov in Baku to Discuss Nagorno Karabakh Settlement
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Azerbaijan for talks on Monday. The two countries discussed the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement as well as Moscow’s worries about Baku’s recent turn towards EU and NATO integration.
Despite the declared “strategic partnership”, relations between Moscow and Baku has soured since Azerbaijan has adopted a West-leaning stance. Moscow is dissatisfied with Baku’s participation the GUAM organization which unites Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova and the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceycan pipeline project that the Kremlin views as “unfriendly”. Last December, Baku decided to suspend gas purchases in Russia and threatened to halt oil pumping in the Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline.
Meanwhile, United States announced plans in March to deploy its anti-missile defense facilities in Azerbaijan, a plan that officials in Baku have not commented. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is most likely to express Russia’s concern over the matter and listen to Azerbaijan’s stance.
Russia is ready to come up with solutions for the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Sergey Lavrov said on Monday that “it is possible to solve the conflict and reach agreement.” Moscow has long been mediating between Azerbaijan and Armenia to settle the conflict. President Vladimir Putin set up talks between Ilkham Aliev and his Armenian counterpart Robert Kocharyan last November, though they brought no results. Moscow is set to organize another meeting for the two leaders at a CIS meeting in St. Petersburg and suggest a compromise solution.
However, Azerbaijan seems to be skeptical about Russia’s initiatives as President Aliev has declared the Nagorno Karabakh issue cannot be solved without NATO and EU mediation.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of May 22, 2007
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